Alden Abbott
Alden Abbott is Senior Research Fellow in charge of antitrust and competition policy for the Mercatus Institute at George Mason University. Prior to joining Mercatus, he served as General Counsel of the Federal Trade Commission (2018-2011). He has published many articles and taught courses on antitrust, regulation, and intellectual property. He holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia, an M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Antitrust and Competition
The Consumer Welfare Standard and Antitrust Enforcement: a Response
Alden Abbott, former general counsel of the FTC, argues that, contrary to claims made in a recent ProMarket article, American competition is vibrant...
Antitrust and Competition
Antitrust Enforcement Is Not Enough to Address Anticompetitive Conduct in Pharmaceutical Markets. Market-Oriented Legal Reform is Needed.
Federal antitrust enforcement has been robust and effective in promoting prescription drug market competition and thereby enhancing consumer welfare. Antitrust enforcement in...
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Commentary
How Financial Contracting Could Help the Police Force Manage Its Aims More Effectively
Hamid Mehran proposes funded deferred pay, an incentive structure to mitigate the risk and costs of police misconduct.
Event Notes
Event Notes: “China’s Political Economy” in Review
The Stigler Center's "China Political Economy" webinar series returns Thursday, February 9. Here's a reminder of what we covered in our first...
Economic History
To Build an Equitable Economy, We Must Understand Capitalism’s Racist Heritage
American capitalism was built on racial exploitation, from the enslavement of Black people to institutionalized discrimination and its structural impact on our...
Industrial Policy
How To Ensure Industrial Policy Promotes Public Over Private Gain
Industrial policy was once so out of fashion that it was jokingly called “the policy that shall not be named.” Now it’s...
Fiscal Policy
More than Economics, Ideology Determines US Voters’ Preferences for Redistribution
The US stands out among developed economies for its comparatively low level of redistribution as a percentage of GDP. Gustavo de Souza...
Research
Stakeholder Motivations for “Private Sanctions” Against Russia
As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, a new study measures stakeholders’ desire to see their firms exit Russia and...
Big Tech
The Wicked Problem Embodied by The Twitter Files
In response to a recent ProMarket post about the Twitter Files, professor Tom Ginsburg points out that the toughest question lies in...
